The Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement was adopted by the Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of a New Act of the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration, which took place in Geneva from May 11 to 21 , 2015. The Act establishes an international system of registration and protection for both appellations of origin and geographical indications.

This short catalogue of publications related to development will help you choose from among the wealth of materials available from WIPO. Our publications range from introducing IP for development to offering advice for policymakers and building capacity in developing countries.

This short catalogue introduces WIPO's publications on trademarks, geographical indications and industrial designs. We offer a wealth of content including key international treaties, research and policy studies, practical guides for business people and explanatory briefs for the general public.

This publication provides an introduction to geographical indications, explaining their basic features, use and protection as an intellectual property right. Written for non-experts, it is a starting point for readers seeking to learn more about the topic.

The aim of the Agreement is to provide for the protection of appellations of origin, i.e., the "geographical denomination of a country, region, or locality, which serves to designate a product originating therein, the quality or characteristics of which are due exclusively or essentially to the geographical environment, including natural and human factors" (Article 2).

The Geneva Act allows the international registration of geographical indications (GIs), in addition to appellations of origin, and permits the accession to the Lisbon Agreement by certain intergovernmental organizations.

This Study deals with intellectual property, in particular, trademarks and geographical indications, as an instrument not only for developing a strong and distinctive brand image for national products and services but also, through such a process, for creating a strong and distinctive nation brand, in both cases, with a view of gaining a competitive advantage in domestic, regional and world markets.

The Lisbon System facilitates the international protection of appellations of origin through one single registration procedure. The Lisbon system does away with the need to file multiple registrations at different offices and covers over two dozen countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

According to the Agreement, all goods bearing a false or deceptive indication of source, by which one of the Contracting States, or a place situated therein, is directly or indirectly indicated as being the country or place of origin, must be seized on importation, or such importation must be prohibited, or other actions and sanctions must be applied in connection with such importation.